‘IPL to kabhi nahin jeeta do baar’ – Fans react as Sunrisers Eastern Cape successfully defend their SA20 title, beating Durban Super Giants

In the final of the second season of the SA20 on February 10, the then defending champions, Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Durban Super Giants locked horns. Last year, the Orange Army beat Pretoria Capitals (the subsidiary of Delhi Capitals) in the final. Meanwhile, after finishing the league stage in the second spot, the team reached the final, beating the Super Giants in Qualifier One.

The subsidiary of the Lucknow Super Giants (DSG) managed to beat Joburg Super Kings (a subsidiary of Chennai Super Kings) in the Qualifier Two. Meanwhile, the Blue Brigade, DSG lost the toss and fielded first in the final. SEC skipper Aiden Markram wanted to put runs on the board batting first and putting pressure on the opposition.

Both teams, during the tournament, had a strong batting line-up and scored the most runs in the last five overs. Meanwhile, batting first, the Gqeberha-based team lost the wicket of Dawid Malan (6), who was trapped lbw by his England teammate, Reece Topley. At 15/1, the likes of Tom Abell (55) and Jordan Hermann (42) stitched a partnership of 90 runs in just 8.4 overs. Super Giants skipper Keshav Maharaj removed both batters in the 11th over.

At 106/3, the team needed to get some push and get a match-winning total. Skipper Aiden Markram (42*) and Tristan Stubbs (56*) put together an unbeaten 98 runs to help the team reach 204/3.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape defend their crown in style

As the Durban-based team was chasing a stiff target, they needed their top-order to score big and one of them to play till the end. However, the first three wickets of Quinton de Kock, JJ Smuts, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa fell with only seven runs on the board. Matthew Breetzke and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder added 56 runs for the fourth wicket. Apart from this, no other partnership was built for substance. In the end, the Super Giants were bowled out for 115 runs, losing the summit clash by 89 runs. For the winning side, Marco Jansen took a fifer.

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